Humanity
by Gothic Rain
Summary: The battle was over and Priscilla was defeated, however the remains of Priscilla's yoki wasn't finished yet and ended up merging with a weakened Clare's powerful yoki essentially rising her power too high to remain in the current world. So, the world took a desperate measures in the desperate time and sends Clare back in time where her end will begin once more.
1. Prologue

_**Humanity**_

_**By Gothic Rain**_

_**A Claymore fanfiction**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own Claymore in any way or form**_

* * *

_Prologue,_

_It was the realization in Clare when the warriors where at their least strengths that kept each other from losing their lives again, such is what occurred in Pieta, today wouldn't be the same event. _

_They were against the unknown creature Priscilla, a being once one of the strongest warriors in a generation but awakened after murdering the strongest no. 1 in history through cruel play and blind anger. As a result she awakened and rose to the top of the food chain, stronger than any awakened being ever created, and even stronger than the Abyssal Ones themselves. _

_It was the feelings and memories that Rafaela had given to Clare that allowed the warriors a chance in defeating Priscilla, and finally Clare understood what Rafaela had been trying to tell her. _

_Her big mistake._

_Every time Clare had tried to force herself into awakening, she had been awakening the wrong side of her, or rather the wrong flesh and spirit. Teresa's flesh has always been inside of Clare, always existing inside of her as more than a memory and is actually Clare herself, truly awakened in her heart._

_So, in the midst of the battle did Clare release the last of her yoki and was sucked inside her mind and met eye to eye with the one who gave her Clare's voice, her freedom, and her will to live. Teresa of the Faint Smile, the one's flesh she awakened inside of her within her heart rather than her emotions of hatred and sorrow she had so long released in battle, and especially towards Priscilla._

_Teresa was the warrior side of Clare that held her power and will while Clare herself was the core, the heart of the power that had always kept her survival abilities possible and the guts in battle to save her comrades - the people she cherish. _

_Teresa and Clare have always been together, forever, and Clare understands this as their hearts join together creating the gorgeous white feathered wings from the top and bottom part of her back. It was also at the same time, Clare realized this was the final time she would ever see Teresa, visually. _

_The spirits of the twin goddesses would always be together in their hearts, just not in meet of eye. And for Clare, it was a great loss for her and she couldn't stop the river of tears that escaped from her eyes. _

_"Wait, wait Teresa! Don't go! Stay with me from now on and forever." Clare cried, facing Teresa with her tears._

_Teresa smiled faintly at Clare and said, "I told you didn't I, Clare? That I was always inside of you. Up until now, and I will be from now on, as well. That will never change._

_"It's not that I came back to life. I'm nothing more than some residual longing brought about by unfinished business. Given embodiment by the strength of your feelings.. In a sense, you could even say I'm an illusion produced by your fierce spirit. And that is precisely why I was strong, since the me you imagined was stronger than anything, that's what I was. _

_"The original me shouldn't have had the strength to overwhelm an awakened Priscilla to that extent. Your feeling made me that way."_

_Clare stared at Teresa in awe and sadness, the tears no longer there. "Teresa.." However the visual image of Teresa wasn't finished. "The strength of your heart, your experiences, and your techniques.. and then your feelings towards me, those are what liberated Priscilla. I was just the trigger. I had unfinished business and things I wanted to say. Now that those two things have been fulfilled, it's only logical that I, given physical form by longing, will disappear._

_"You're going to keep on living from here on out, and you have plenty of friends to live together with. You're different from how you were back then." _

_Clare looked down for a moment, knowing what she was saying was true and deep in her she had always known this. She just needed to hear it from Teresa herself, and now that she has she can't prevent the overwhelming sadness of losing contact with Teresa again. _

_"But.. I..-" Clare began as the tears began to show again, but stopped and clenched her teeth knowing she has to let go, but can't quite bring herself to stop grasping. _

_"Will you smile for me, Clare? This is the end and I want to leave seeing your smile." Teresa said suddenly, smiling at Clare softly who looked at her in surprise. _

_Teresa kneeled to catch the sudden transformed child version of Clare, who hugged Teresa tightly sobbing as tears drenched her face in at fist sadness and then joy. Clare is an adult yet inside she is really just a child that had been robbed of her life and innocence as a child, and had to grow up fast. Inside she has always been a child, with an inner passion swirling deep within her like a whirlpool and now it's exposed to Teresa in a final moment of goodbye to her dearest loved one, a sister and a remodel. _

_"Teresa! I'm so happy, I'm so happy to see you! Teresa, Teresa!" Child Clare sobbed hysterically into the older warrior's shoulder. _

_Teresa smiled and replied, "Yeah.. me too. I'm glad I could see you all grown up."_

_Clare pulled away revealing the stream of snot and tears, but also an embracing smile. "Always. From now on, always. We'll always be together, Teresa!"_

_Teresa chuckled while smiling with Clare. "A filthy smile covered with snot, huh. But.. it suits you. It's a great smile." _

_And then, with those last words Teresa vanished from Clare's mind scape, with an adult Clare on her knees smiling up into the blank space of her mind. Even though Teresa had left, Clare knew they would always be together and forever so. _

_Clare would live as Teresa had said, she had great friends, and there was nothing left for her to hate. _

_She could return now.. at least, that's what was what was meant to happen._

_Outside of her mind where the flowers of Priscilla fell to the ground softly, a pulse of what remained of her yoki reacted negatively to the world as it tried to forcefully regain it's former body. It was meant to have evaporated by the final blow from Teresa, and though Priscilla's spirit was free from the body she had so long been trapped inside, the last of her yoki was unwilling to let go as well. _

_The very few molecules of yoki needed stronger yoki to recreate itself, but the world was forcing them out and they were forced to reach blindly for the closest thing near them. _

_Clare was unfortunately the person the molecules had reached, and would have normally been able to reject the molecules from entering her body if she weren't yoki depleted and exhausted from the long war and battle against Priscilla. She wasn't though, and so the molecules entered her body without trouble and slivered inside her body until it reached the very root of her yoki energy, in her core - her heart. _

_The moment the molecules touched Clare's heart, they were connected and the sheer power of the combination of Clare's yoki and Priscilla's overwhelmed any control or will and caused Clare's yoki aura to skyrocket. _

_On the outside the warriors were shoved on their backs from the intensity of the mixed auras and could only watch at what was once the being of their dear friend, sister, and fellow warrior evolve into a whitish-green sphere in the air. The orb was absorbing ever life-force and energy around it, bringing its strength and power higher and higher that it became too much for the world and if the orb remained it would destroy the life in the world. _

_So, the world did the best thing it could think of and opened a crack in the air, forcing the orb inside of it the second it was about to explode and shut tight behind it, and disappeared from existence as though it had never been there in the first place, since in a way it hadn't been. _

_Once the air had calmed the knocked over warriors got to their feet and the ghosts slowly walked over to the area where Clare once stood. Deneve scooped up a hand-full of the pink sakura flowers before releasing them to be swept by the wind. _

_"She's gone." _

_In time, Clare would become a legend amongst the warriors, honored for her sacrifice and bravery to defeat Priscilla at the cost of her own life so that the others may live. _

_It was there that Clare's life had ended, but in another place in another time Clare's life was at it's new beginning._

* * *

**_This idea came to me about a month ago, and since then I've been working on creating it. I think it will be a good add to the 700+ stories in Claymore fanfiction. In return for this one, I'm going to take down my other Claymore fanfiction "Through the Eyes of the Dragon" since it's not turning out so great. _**

**_Well, update will come in some point in time. _**

**_Sincerely,_**

**_Gothic Rain_**


	2. Chapter 1

**Humanity**

**By Gothic Rain**

**A Claymore fanfiction**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Claymore in any way or form**

* * *

_"A coward breaks their promises, while the gutsy make promises they die trying to achieve." - Unknown._

Chapter One, A New Beginning

The desert had always been empty, although the occasional salamander or vulture would appear now and then, the desert was always empty. Except for the recent few days when the body of a beaten and bloody warrior suddenly fell into the desert, and has remained unconscious since. Of course this wasn't the first body to lay against the warm desert sands but it was the first body to be, well, alive.

The fallen warrior just hadn't woken up, wouldn't wake up.

This warrior was Clare; "The Fastest Sword of all Claymores" and "No. 47 in the Organization, Clare, successor of Teresa's flesh and blood, bearer of Irene's right arm, and the one who carries Ophelia's hopes and soul to hunt the Awakened Being Priscilla." That Clare, except she appeared as though she just came out fresh from a heavy firefight, which she had in a sense. Just not from there.

Any visible sign of skin was covered in blood, armor was torn to shreds that pretty much just hung off her body in strands, blood splattered against her face, heavy bags were under her eyes from exhaustion, but she was still breathing and that was what was needed most.

Clare awoke a day later, however she still appeared unconscious as she barely moved an inch, and didn't appear as though she'd be moving anytime soon. Inside, Clare was confused for a reason she couldn't explain. She had this weird feeling in the pit of her stomach and couldn't make sense of it. Although she had finally defeated her ultimate enemy - Priscilla - the cost was loosing everyone she cherishes and never seeing them again. The people she could call family, and now they were gone. Clare knew this, there was this feeling of great loss in her chest, and now she was stranded alone in a desert having no idea where she was, or what occurred for her to find herself here.

She only knew that she wasn't in her home-world anymore, and that Priscilla was dead with Teresa gone forever.

She knew that however she had gotten here, by what, had taken everything she loved and now just realized that they were the one's she was living for. It was a purpose past Priscilla, the one she had first vowed to kill even at the cost of her own life and humanity. Now, they're gone but Priscilla's dead.

She was confused, so very confused on what to do. She had no purpose to live, and the only thing that has kept her alive is the words Teresa had told her. Clare knew that Teresa wouldn't want her to give up, and so Clare willed her body to get up in order to find a new purpose for a new beginning.

However, she needed to will her body to get up on her feet first.

Clare held tight to her claymore, which seemed to follow her no matter where she went or what happened to her. It was sort of like an omen, and for Clare it was her anchor. That sword is the key to her most cherished memories and all her memories because it has been there since the beginning of becoming a warrior of the organization, and now former warrior. It has been with her since the ghosts, and even with Teresa serving as a memory from when she traveled with her.

It was of course however her weapon that has soaked the blood of thousands of yomas, hundreds of awakened beings, and even the abyssal ones themselves.. but most of all it was the weapon that served to defeat Priscilla. Her claymore is as much apart of her as Teresa is.

And by the mere memory of Teresa, Clare was shoved back into reality and snapped her eyes open revealing emerald green eyes through the reflection of the claymore's blade. Clare's eyes widened in surprise and brought a hand up to her face, noticing that her hand was darker than it had been before, a fair skin color rather than a ghostly pale.

She also averted her eyes to her hair in the reflection, and was met with the sight of auburn hair, longer too. Her hair was no longer a page-boy style pale blond color. It was now as long as Galatea's, a fridge going half-way down her left eye while the ends were slightly wavy. Clare brushed her hand through it, finding it as no illusion and could only stare at her reflection a moment longer in shock before suddenly it hit her, metaphorically.

Dread rushed through her when she realized what she had become - a monster..

Clare had awakened, she was awakened. She knew this because of her human appearance returning, but there was also the power she could feel rushing through her body like nothing she ever felt before. She wondered if this is what it was like for Teresa or if it was more similar to an abyssal? She didn't know, and she kind of wished she never knew.

It explained the sudden burning feeling she felt in her body back on the battle-field against Priscilla, right after Teresa had disappeared.

This made her stronger, but what would she need it for now? Priscilla was dead, along with the abyssal ones.

She sighed, baffled by the fact that she didn't feel as open as before. For once in a very long time she felt.. complete. It was like she was opening her eyes for the first time in a long time. That sort of feeling.

Immediately she wondered if this feeling meant what she thought it did.. but she had to check and make sure.

Pulling back the fabric of what was left of her armor around her torso, she was met with the sight of her "stigma" gone. There wasn't even a trace of a scar left, just flat and smooth fair skin. She put the armor back and combed a hand through her long strands of hair before closing her eyes, needing to think for a moment on what this all meant for her.

Once a warrior had officially awakened, there was no going back. Meaning Clare would be forever like this, but in a sense that didn't mean it had to be a bad thing. Sure, she had this constant gnawing hunger in her belly now, but she could ignore that. It may be annoying and slightly painful, but it would keep her form actually becoming the very thing she despises. A monster. She may be a monster on the outside, but inside she wishes to remain with her human heart, not a craving monsters'.

Yes, she was stronger now. However, the main thing to Clare was that she felt human, and it was the best feeling in the world to her. Everything was no longer a still-life in her eyes, the world suddenly felt ginormous and no longer so small, like it used to feel. Everything felt so opened now, the breeze of the wind felt wonderful as it brushed against her, the scents of the desert were even soothing to her racing heart. It felt good, and that was something the Organization had stripped from her when she knocked on their doors, and she had to admit it is a wonderful feeling to have.

Slowly, Clare rose to her feet, with her claymore held tightly in Irene's right arm. It was strange, that arm was tanner than the rest of her body and Clare guessed that it was the color of Irene's skin before she became a Claymore. No one could really tell though, it just appeared like a tan line to the ordinary eye.

She breathed in a deep breath to calm her nerves and then began walking. Though she had no idea where she was going, she knew she was heading south and that there had to be a sort of human village ahead. No matter how long it took, she would find a purpose to live again.

Clare didn't care how long it may take.

* * *

_Seven days later.._

One hundred and sixty-eight hours later, Clare finally reached a village outside the desert. It was small and slightly in rubble but that went by no concern to the citizens that scurried around the area, beggars in the streets scavenging for food while the wealthier were in the market area fetching food to bring home to their family.

The village was live and talkative, however that all ceased when Clare walked in. Her ragged and bloody form caught the attention of the civilians almost immediately, but once they spotted her, everyone's attention zero-ed in on her.

Clare didn't stop by the attention the civilians were giving her, and headed straight into the village, all the while ignoring the talk amongst the people of the village.

"Is she a Claymore?"

Clare ignored the word and kept walking forward, however it did raise a spark of hesitation within her spirit.

"I don't think so, her eyes are green and the Claymore's are known for having silver eyes."

"Her hair isn't bleached either, its auburn."

"I doubt she's one of them monsters, but where in the devil's name did she get one of their swords?"

"Who knows, maybe she's a new creation."

Clare narrowed her eyes but continued forward until she arrived at her destination and headed right on inside, into the inn.

Clare felt her hunger within intensify, sensing all the humans around her and making it seem like the humans were just tiny slices of meat to devour. Clare was stronger than her hunger though, and shoved it to the back of her mind as she approached the main desk.

"By Jolly, what happened to you?" The owner of the inn questioned her, once she came into view.

"A yoma attack on my village. I picked this sword off one of the silver-eyed slayers." Clare lied convincingly, wording it in a way that meant the make-believed Claymore she picked it from was dead.

The man's brows rose above his hairline, revealing his surprise. Then again, any human would when hearing a "human" doing such a thing.

"Won't they want it back?" He asked, shivering at the thoughts of silver-eyes narrowed in hate. Clare ignored the reactions the humans gave the warriors that were once who she was herself, and countered easily saying "That shouldn't be a problem, the warrior was dead when I took her sword."

A silence passed, Clare as calm as the day while the man looked at her in awe surprise and a little fear. That is until he realized the state Clare was in, which he had easily missed when she walked in with the instrument of slaying.

"Oh dear! Let me give you a room and a change of clothes. I think I still have a dress that would fit you that once belonged to my daughter." He told her, hurryingly shuffling around behind the desk. Clare was surprised by the treatment, the who ideal unreal considering Claymores were never treated well so this experience was a bit back-flipping.

"Thank you, I don't mean to be a bother." Clare responded calmly, trying to play the part of a human that the village assumed her to be.

"Well, after your experience, you most certainly need it. Your room is down the hall, first door on the right." He told her, pointing in the correct direction. Clare nodded and set of to the room with a thank you.

When Clare arrived she noted it was a simple room with a bed, desk, nightstand, and a wide window that gave view of the village district below.

Clare moved over to the window where the bed was leaned against, and placed her claymore against the wall, before leaning herself against the wall knowing the man would be appearing soon thanks to her further heightened senses.

"Here's what I could find that would suit your height." The man spoke, appearing by the door with his hand outstretched with the neatly folded clothing laying in his hand.

Clare walked forward and took it, nodding another thanks to the owner before he excused himself allowing Clare to get dressed. Clare shut the door behind him, before walking back over to the window where she closed the curtains before staring at the neatly folded clothing.

It was strange to her, really.

For years she has stripped and redressed in front of the Organization, or has changed with the other warriors, she never had a shred of modesty when being a Claymore. Now, things are different. With humans, anyways. As a warrior she did have modesty, but was never trained to use it, and so she never really had it until now. Ironic.

Clare looked at what remained of her uniform before easily removing it and tossed the shreds unto the bed then redressed in a simple dark green evening dress. Clare was un-used to such a clothing material and eyed the torn, raggedy armor as though thinking of putting back on to avoid wearing the dress.

However, she also knew that she needed to look human if she were to play the part of one and stay in the human village. So, she turned her eyes away from the shredded armor and to the shielded window as she slipped on the dark brown cow-hide shoes.

Once she was dressed she turned to the bed, running her hands through the ribbons of her silver cloth and bent pieces of the armor plates.

The gnawing hunger in her stomach grew and so to distract herself, Clare got to work with fiddling with the armor straps.

In a hour at least later, a knock sounded on the door before it opened revealing the owner with a cart of food serving for one consisting of; a cup of water, three small finger-sized potatoes, a couple of cabbage leaves, and a palm-sized lizard steak. "Thank you." Clare told the man, and accepted the plate of warm food into her hands.

"It's the least I can do after what you've been through." The man said before bidding her goodbye once again and shutting the door behind him as he left, leaving a hungry Clare staring at the warm plate of food in her hands.

For Clare, even as a warrior she always had little appetite for food, but strangely her stomach was larger now and even though it was for human meat she would settle for human food over their bodies any day.

So Clare devoured the plate of food, leaving a memorable taste of each bit of food in her memory. However, her stomach may have liked the flavor, it wasn't what it needed to be satisfied.

It was like eating tofu, it's good for your and keeps you alive, but it doesn't give you the satisfaction it once had given Clare.

Her growing hunger craved human flesh, but Clare refused to eat such a thing. She knew once she did, she would be dependent on human meat, and she refused to become a monster that she has become.

Even if that meant her gnawing hunger would forever last.

Clare pushed the empty plate of food unto the desk before making her way back to the bed where her new invention laid from what her armor scarps had been.

The armor had been structured in a specific way which did not suit Clare.

The white cloth was made to block out any heat or cold (despite the fact once they were changed properly they couldn't feel it anyways) and to allow the fabric to dry faster. The plates are impenetrable and were positioned a certain way to retain a warrior's speed and flexibility.

With Clare an awakened being now, she needed to know her weaknesses and since she already knows the structure of a yoma's, she knew everything in her basic strengths, hunger, and normal weaknesses.

The main weakness Clare assumed was in her torso, knowing her awakened form relies on speed (from Teresa and from her half-awakened form). So, with the left over silver plates and cloth, she created a sword strap that shows diagonally to the left along with a make-shift sheath for her claymore.

It was positioned this way so if a blade would aim for her torso, her strap would block the fatal strikes to her torso.

The scraps that were left were either beyond use or covered in her own blood to much to believe silver was the original color, which were now resting in the bottom of the waste bin.

Clare had also decided she wouldn't be staying in the human village long, she needed to train her awakened form and hunger along with her own strengths - discretely. She was relieved to know how to suppress her yoki which was highly trained as a Ghost, but now that she had awakened, Clare wasn't sure how controlled her yoki was now. She refused to risk the chance of someone finding out about her, but not knowing her own strength, weaknesses, and limitations was the highest risk of all, once she would be forced to take.

On another account, Clare needed new armor, hand-crafted would be the best and since she was experienced in blacksmithing as a child it wouldn't be too hard. What the real difficult part was, is getting the right materials for her armor. She was also completely empty of currency after the war, and so buying supplies what not an option. Which meant her only option was to have to hunt and scavenge the materials she needs.

And the materials she was aiming for, weren't exactly idealistic.

Clare had been thinking on a light armor piece but more armored on the torso which would falter her movements slightly but would protect her torso and it was a falter she could overcome in time with training.

She was thinking of what animal skins would be suited for the cloth/flexibility when a sudden thought crossed her mind.

However, ironically the idea felt slightly wrong. Then again, if she were to use the hide of an awakened being, it would be the ultimate defense against many awakened beings, when in her human form.

It meat though that she would have to skin the awakened being though, which was formerly a person but she decided that desperate times called for desperate needs.

Clare supposed that the plates could be created from the claws, bones, and teeth of the awakened being as well, so basically all she had to do was go kill some. The only difficulty in this though, was killing the amount of awakened beings she needs quietly and unnoticeably without getting noticed or interfering with the Organization.

Clare's claymore was a bit of an issue though because the weapons crafted by the Organization were unique thus were very recognizable, especially with the symbol on the blade. The symbol would matter less to the humans' with her story, but to the Organization the symbol would easily traced back to her.. Clare didn't want to part with it, but she supposed she could modify it.

One thing she was sure about though, was that she needed to part from the humans, and soon. Her being near them at her state was a great risk and danger to both her and the humans. She wasn't sure how much control she had over her yoki which could affect how she can restraint her hunger. The last thing she needed was going on a rampage and devouring a human village.

The worst part is, Clare would enjoy it.

She sighed and sat on the soft sheets on top of the bed. Clare was amazed by the feeling of her body not feeling like splitting open with her stigma gone. It was a strange but very nice feeling. Though she was awakened and starving, she was relieved to be able to relax for once in a very long, long time.

In a sense it was cruel because she is no longer even three-quarters human but is now 99% monster with only 1% representing her humanity from going about and devouring every human off the face of the planet and slaughtering the warriors of the Organization.

Yet, even as a monster now in body, Clare refused to be a monster at heart.

That was something she would stick to, no matter what. For now, she just had to figure out how she would continue living. Even as an awakened being she felt that she was needed somewhere.

And she be damned if she was going to waste the life, Teresa had given her.

* * *

**This chapter was actually originally longer, but my computer gets slow after hitting 3,000 words a chapter so I decided to stop it here. **

**So yeah, that was the official first chapter of the story, and I hope you liked it. **

**Follow, Favorite, or Review. Although, just reading it is nice too. **

**Sincerely,**

**-Gothic Rain**


	3. Chapter 2

**Humanity**

**By Gothic Rain**

**A Claymore fanfiction**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Claymore in any way or form**

* * *

_"There is no fate, only the future we create for ourselves." - Kyle Reese, Terminator._

Chapter Two, Awakening

_Clare was running, but she didn't know why. It was like she was watching herself run in third person without being able to think, just watch like a ghost attached to a body by a chain. She couldn't remember anything about herself, just that she was Clare, no. 47 of the Organization and she needed to find someone. _

_Clare rushed through the jagged hallways with thick wired bars protruding everywhere, but Clare easily evaded them as she flipped through the dungeon like her life depended on it. Soon she reached a staircase but the stairs were clearly unstable. A spike of yoma energy erupted ahead, and Clare knew the one she needed to find was just ahead. _

_She took one step back for momentum before leaping forward, over as many of the stairs as she could, but stumbled over the last few. She steadied herself before picking up on her pace until she was running and found herself down a long corridor. _

_One by one she swung the concrete doors open revealing empty, and ruined rooms. Clare didn't stay long enough to really analyze the areas and soon was finished checking through the first corridor then felt a sudden burst of high intensity focused yoma energy. _

_Clare immediately spun a one-eighty degree turn and sprinted forward down the next corridor. All the rooms were empty, and Clare was just about to spike her own yoma energy out of frustration when her stomach turned with an uneasy feeling. _

_Slamming her heel down, she came to a sudden stop by the last door on the right of the corridor before freezing at what was in front of her. _

_It was a torture chamber, and she could see that two others were dead, but that wasn't what made her freeze in her tracks. _

_A creature was chained in the center of the room, formerly a warrior, and took on a humanoid shape that reminded Clare of a butterfly with the four giant glowing green wings that were attached to the back of the awakened being. _

_"Y-you-" Clare looked up as the awakened being began to speak in surprise. _

_She neared the creature of what was once the former no.9 with her claymore raised in case of sudden attack. _

_"M...Monster. You're a monster." Clare's eyes widened and suddenly everything was reversed. _

_She was the monster in the chains and in front of her stood Jean who then spoke._

_"One that must die."_

* * *

_She was in Pieta, and was overlooking the purple-blood-stained remains of The Silver-Eyed Lion. She felt no disgust, only satisfaction. _

_It was strange in a way, she felt heavier in everywhere except her torso. Taller as well. She felt so much stronger, like nothing could take her down. Not the abyssal ones, not even Priscilla. It was like she was a pure being of yoma energy and it felt good. She didn't want it to ever stop, and no one around her would stop her. _

_She let out a furious growl when one of them walked up to her, and struck with her right clawed arm. _

_The warrior jumped back, and Clare realized with horror that she had just attacked a comrade. A comrade..._

_"What-" The familiar comrade started to speak, but was interrupted by Clare who spoke in a deep growling tone. _

_"No! Don't come any closer, these blades are no under my control." Clare lied, because she wanted to kill her comrade and her friends. She wanted to tear their bodies apart and devour their flesh and suck down their delicious blood. _

_She wanted to devour them. _

_No! She wasn't a monster, she wouldn't, but she wanted to.. so, so badly. _

_There was only one option left for her now, to keep her humanity before being devoured by her own monster. Clare was never the strong one, not after her childhood. She wasn't strong enough to fight her own monster back into it's cell, and so the only way to redeem herself was to die a human death. _

_No matter what her stomach willed for her to do. _

_"Helen... cut my head off."_

_Clare closed her eyes, afraid to watch herself lose control and strike down her comrades. She was afraid of herself, but she also hated herself. She hated herself for being so weak, for not overcoming her fear and pushing the monster back or becoming it entirely; accepting who she was meant to be. _

_"No." A familiar voice spoke up, and Clare opened her eyes to see Jean's familiar face. One of her hand's covered her stomach, where Rigaldo created a hole in what used to be her stomach. _

_The snow whooshed around them, and everyone else faded behind the veil of snow. _

_"You already know it yourself Clare, you've let yourself become a monster, a creature everyone despises and so you must die."_

_Clare stared at Jean terrified, but also in pain as the words pierced her mind. A monster. She was a monster that no one loved and everyone despised. She was the very creature that warriors fought with the Organization to destroy. _

_She was a monster that needed to die. _

_"No!" Clare roared when Jean leaped forward, and was impaled by Clare's awakened arms. _

_"Stop, please stop. Jean.." Clare begged, her vision blurring. _

_"I'm dead because of you, Clare. You killed me right here.. you killed your own comrade, and slaughtered me like the monster you are!" Jean shouted at her, blood spewing from her throat and coating her chin._

_"I-I didn't want to.. Jean." Clare replied shakily, trying to release Jean but her arms wouldn't move. _

_"And that changes things? It doesn't. You've allowed yourself to become a monster through selfish desires, and now you're due to pay them." Jean replied, before moving her right arm back._

_Red blinded Clare's vision and stained the snow a deep purple. _

_When Clare's vision cleared she was looking down at Jean's bloody form, whose dead eyes stared back up at her from where she laid on the ground facing the sky. _

_"One day you'll pay for your dues, but for now your on are on your own. And you won't last long, Clare." Jean finished, her eyes fading away from the light and her body going slack. _

_Clare stared at Jean's body, her awakened arms retracted behind her and dripping in red blood. The snow was dyed purple however, and with a shaky breath Clare's golden eyes looked down and was met with the hilt of Jean's claymore sticking out from her abdomen. _

_She felt her mouth fill with a molten liquid, and her body begin to shut down. She thumped to her knees, blood dripped from her claws and she closed her eyes. _

_Opening them, they had turned back human but were still very golden. Her awakened form was gone, but her hands were covered in red blood that belonged to Jean, the warrior she had used to save herself. _

_The comrade she killed. _

_The comrade she murdered._

_The comrade she slaughtered. _

_And the comrade she devoured._

_She licked her lips that were soaked in a cherry red, her razor-sharp teeth glistening in the night sky. Then, she spoke. "You're right Jean, I am a monster!"_

_All that sounded through the rest of the once silent night was a monstrous scream, the voice of a monster that would all but destroy. _

_A monster named, Clare._

* * *

Clare woke up in the middle of the night with a sharp breath and thrumming heart. Flipping out of the bed and by instinct she reached for her claymore before quickly scanning the room then froze and sighed when she realized she was in the room she was renting and that it was all just a dream.

Her eyes dropped as she recalled it, and fought an internal battle with her two consciousness. One belonged to the awakened being and the other to her humanity. Winning the battle, Clare sat back down on the bed and then gazed outside the window seeing the night stars shining far away in the distance.

"What am I going to do?" Clare whispered, her right hand moving to her stomach that was internally roaring with hunger. She could feel the yoma side of her conscious wanting to just run wild and devour as many souls here as she could find, but Clare and her humanity shoved it back, having good reason for not becoming a monster.

For love always beats hunger, no matter how intense or painful it may become overtime.

"Eyes on the prey, not the horizon." Clare told the familiar quote to herself, and rolled out of bed. She brushed her hair out of her eyes, still not used to having such long hair again, and then grabbed her makeshift sheath/armor. Walking over to her claymore she picked it up by the handle before swinging it over her shoulder and sheathed it inside it's new sheath, finding it a perfect fit satisfying Clare.

"The current prey is getting this hunger and my awakened form controllable, not finding out what I'm going to do here." Clare muttered to herself, finding it so unlike herself to be talking to herself but at least it made the situation less in the dark. She had been used to being alone, but then she had Raki talking by her side, and then later the seven ghosts. It would take some time not hearing a voice every few minutes.

She was surprised to feel so awake for the day, not a constant strain to maintain. Yet, it wasn't perfect with a growling stomach going wherever she roamed. Walking over to the door, and opening it, she glanced down the hall for any other awake presence and when finding none she slipped out unseen into the night.

She wondered around the market for a bit, taking in the sights and smells for the first time. Before, she would always ignore her surroundings since she was always on duty and didn't have time to look around... well that, and the town was less capturing with humans sending stares of fear of glares of hate. Now though, she could take in the human's agriculture, the stars, the sculptures, heck even the streets.

Humans can do amazing things, but only ruin their reputation by turning their own people into monster slayers that will later become the actual monster. Admittedly, the Organization is the one completely at fault, but they are humans aren't they? Then again, she was human once, and she was different from most.

Clare cleared her head, before making her way to the exit, leaving behind not even a trail of foot prints in her wake, something that she was trained to do at the Organization.

She walked beneath the stars, following them to wherever they may lead her. Not having a place to call home, she could be known a traveler amongst the humans. She may not have a home, but she had a reason to live, and that was all Clare ever needed - wanted even.

* * *

_Three days later..._

Clare had reached the edge of the land, as far away from the Organization's headquarters as she could, and settled on training in between mountain ranges. She was literally in a valley of the mountain ranges, a hike through them would be too much for a human so only a warrior would find her but only if they were looking for her.

Knowing that wouldn't be the case, and that there were no awakened beings or yoma in this area - which she could smell and checked anyways - she knew she would be safe or rather others would be safe from her as she trained herself to control her monster, her form, and her hunger.

A river was near by as well, and so she would be covered to not die from dehydration or hunger with the fish present there.

Walking over to a shallow cave, she checked it over for any stray creatures before settling down and leaned against the wall of the cave, staring out taking in the red and orange walls of the mountains surrounding her, the light blue sky with a golden sun. The world was beautiful, it was a shame she never really noticed before, but then again she was a different person back then and believed she didn't have time to love things.

Yet she somehow found a way to love Teresa, Raki like a brother, and the seven ghosts like her sisters more than in arms.

She sighed before closing her eyes to meditate on the new pulsing energy rushing through her veins, surpassing the power of adrenaline. It was amazing and intense, the way her body seemed to be rewired of yoma energy. Instead of feeling a slight hum from the yoma power as she once had, it was practically letting out sparks of a large fire, dancing inside her body awaiting action.

Ironically, a large amount of the energy was built up in her stomach, which Clare found interesting and strange. She figured if she moved that energy to another area, hopefully her hunger would lessen until it barely became a noticeable feeling. However, the energy in her body was balanced, and if she changed it she would have to find a way to balance it again, otherwise her ability to control her awakened being would be even harder if it was even still possible.

There was a good chance when she attempted this, she would awaken. So, Clare removed her armor strap with her claymore still in it and set it down against the cave wall before grabbing the hem of her dress and throwing it off as well knowing she didn't have any spare clothes to change into and that once she awakened, her clothes would be torn to shreds.

Internally, she was beginning to understand why Riful got so annoyed whenever one of her dresses were torn.

Besides, no one would see her naked out here, so in a way it barely even mattered.

Walking to the largest clearing Clare could find, she closed her eyes and began focusing on finding her fire of energy again. Once finding it, she focused directly on her stomach before thinking.

Her awakened form was based on speed, so if she put more energy into her limbs it would most likely make them faster, but too fast and she probably wouldn't even be able to control it.

She didn't know what would happen if she put more into her torso, and wasn't sure if she wanted to test it to find out. Maybe if she put some near her spine it would make it stronger and more flexible, harder to break by contact.

She didn't want to test it on her head either, for it could do something to her brain and that was definitely something she refused to risk, so she decided on pushing some into her legs first, which was closer and easier to maneuver over anyways.

Slowly she moved the energy down to her legs, spreading it out so it wouldn't build up in one area, and then took some more from her stomach and moved it to her back, before taking the very last from her stomach and placing it in her arms, spreading it out once again. Now her stomach had a normal layer of yoma energy, followed by her head and the rest of her torso.

However, the moment she retracted her focus she found her aura spiking, the power inside of her awakening. Clare tried to force it back, but she was too late, and too weak to pull the monster back inside of her, ultimately forcing her to awaken into her true form.

Clare knew though if she let her form to release all out uncontrolled, the Organization and every warrior in the land would feel her awakened form awaken, and so instead of using her will and strength to retreat her awaken form, she used it to control the aura launching out from her body and instead focused on keeping it on herself, sort of like a cloak as her body shifted and took on its ultimate form.

Clare felt herself pulled back into her consciousness, into her body, and her cloak released but fortunately her awakening was complete.

She felt different, which granted made sense being awakened, but it was a peaceful yet very powerful feeling. She knew she was taller, and her legs felt a little heavier than before along with her arms, but it was balanced by some miracle. Her back though, it to felt just a little bit heavier as well.

Clare now stood nine feet tall, her legs had become hoofs but didn't look quite the same as before when she was half-awakened in the past. Now, her hoofs were black, and from her ankle to her knees were dark blue and black layers of armored spikes facing backwards with one arcing over her knee cap. Her thigh was a deep blue at the bottom but a lighter blue at the top with white feathers resting between the black and blue feathers where they connect.

Her torso was fortunately not naked, and was armored over in a black tone with a dark blue line going straight down to her waist. Her arms were deep blue and darkened down to the wrist stopping at her hand which was now pitch black and sharp as three claws. More spikes rose out of her skin, curving towards her shoulder which was also shielded by white feathers.

Clare's face hadn't changed much, apart from being a shade darker, more angular, and with extra features. Her eyes were silted and darkened in tint and shadow making her golden eyes practically glow from the rest of her complexion. Her ears were pointed longer and slanted backwards like a fantasy's elven ears. Two horns arced out of the top of her head, looking almost like wings, being silver in color.

Her lips were now black, inside revealing canine like fangs sharp and deadly but at least not like a shark's anymore. Her neck had been dark blue at the bottom but slowly lightened to match the shade of skin on her face, over all making her entire form look balanced.

Her hair had darkened to an intense deep, deep blue and waved gently downwards just above the area where her wings met. Yes, wings. Two large wings spread out 18 feet while two lower ones stretched out half of that. The wings looked like they belonged to an angel or a bird, being feathered but armored at the same time, making them very difficult to be cut off but still possible. The top wings were black from the top and faded down to dark blue then silver then to white to the bottom ends to the feathers.

The lower wings were navy blue at the top and faded down silver to white completing her form.

Clare flexed her claws, looking down at them curious at the normal feeling of it all and no monster conscious trying to control her.

She was the one in charge now.

Her form was most likely the fastest awakened form out there in the history of the Organization's warrior, even faster than Teresa's for this form was included with hers.

Now, she just had to learn to control it. So, she lifted her right leg forward planning just a small step forward but was instead thrown forward and collided straight into a wall.

This will take a while, Clare thought to herself, and began trying over and over to control her awakened form.

Simply put, it would take a lot longer to control than Clare had expected.

* * *

**Describing the form of Clare's awakened form is rather hard going from the image in my head, but I decided I'll draw it out and post it on as the cover later on, so you have a better understanding on what she looks like awakened. **

**For now though, just use you're imagination. **

**Expect updates for this story at random times, because I can't make a schedule for this story.**

**Sincerely,**

**Gothic Rain**


	4. Chapter 4

**To all reading this story,**

**Do to the amount of stories that I have accounted for and the limited time that is now current for me**

**I have created a poll for you; followers, readers, etc. This poll has a list of all my incomplete stories. This poll**

**is to vote for the story I will be updating the most frequent. You may vote for three and only three, better**

**than one, no?**

**Sorry it had to be this way, but it is the most convenient for both me and you so we won't be stressing on updates. **

**So, go to my profile page, go to the poll, and vote right away!**

**Sincerely,**

**My Book of Demons **

**P.S. This will be removed after poll is closed**


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